A prolonged lack of interest in once-enjoyed activities and a pervasive gloomy mood that interferes with everyday functioning and lowers the quality of life are two characteristics of depression, a mental health disease. Regardless of age, these risk factors for depression can lead to the onset of the illness in both adolescents and adults. Everyone experiences occasional sadness, although it usually only lasts a few days or a week (Alhassan et al., 2018). Contrarily, depression is a mood illness marked by a lack of interest in once-loved pursuits as well as a profound, agonizing melancholy that interferes with day-to-day activity. Numerous forms of depressive illnesses exist, each with its own set of symptoms and indicators, even though most people conceive of depression as a single condition (Alhassan et al., 2018). Major Depressive Disease, often known as chronic or classic depression, is the most prevalent depressive disorder in adults.
It might be difficult to diagnose depression in younger people. We all occasionally feel intense sadness, but youngsters are not always able to recognize and express the warning symptoms of depression. This is why, according to the CDC, care professionals frequently use behavioral patterns to identify depression in young people, which occurs at an incidence of about 3.2% (Shokrgozar et al., 2019). While adults may look more withdrawn, dejected, and exhausted, younger children may be more likely to communicate their feelings via rage or impatience (Shokrgozar et al., 2019). Children can sometimes develop physical signs of depression, such as headaches or stomachaches. Teenagers’ social isolation, scholastic deterioration, and overly sensitive responses to criticism can also be signs of developing depression.
How adults and teenagers perceive and express their symptoms of depression differs significantly. Children frequently act out in rage and complain about their bodies, unlike adults who talk about the draining lack of pleasure that comes with sadness. Depression can be the same throughout age groups, even if it may seem different and result from specific combinations of our physiologies and circumstances. Regardless of age, the effects of depression are the same, no matter what language we choose to explain them. Fortunately, many treatments that are effective for adults also assist youngsters in overcoming depression and strong emotions.
One of the most successful approaches for treating mood problems is cognitive-behavioral therapy. CBT is a form of “talk therapy” that supports people in questioning their beliefs to lessen reactivity, reframe beliefs, and create more beneficial habits and behaviors. Young children can also practice therapy through art, toys, or role-playing. Care providers may combine therapies like CBT with drugs since mood disorders like depression typically contain a complicated web of conflicting belief systems connected with chemical abnormalities in the brain. This, of course, depends on the age group.
One further significant distinction is that while drugs, including tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, SNRIs, and MAOIs, are often used to treat depression in adults, not all of them are equally effective or secure for use in teenagers. If counseling alone fails to help a teenager with moderate to severe depression, it may be worthwhile to consider medication as an additional treatment (Choi et al., 2019). Professional therapists may suggest that patients get more information by speaking with a family doctor or pediatrician. Bhatia Psychology Group is only a click away for anyone looking for assistance in helping themselves or a loved one overcome depression. Contact us right away to chat with a kind and knowledgeable care provider.
References
Alhassan, A. A., Alqadhib, E. M., Taha, N. W., Alahmari, R. A., Salam, M., & Almutairi, A. F. (2018). The relationship between addiction to smartphone usage and depression among adults: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry, 18(1). Web.
Choi, K. W., Chen, C. Y., Stein, M. B., Klimentidis, Y. C., Wang, M. J., Koenen, K. C., & Smoller, J. W. (2019). Assessment of Bidirectional Relationships Between Physical Activity and Depression Among Adults. JAMA Psychiatry, 76(4), 399. Web.
Shokrgozar, S., Khesht-Masjedi, M., Abdollahi, E., Habibi, B., Asghari, T., Ofoghi, R., & Pazhooman, S. (2019). The relationship between gender, age, anxiety, depression, and academic achievement among teenagers. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 8(3), 799. Web.